Happy New Year everyone!

Here is a copy of an article I read recently in the San Francisco Chronicle that I though I'd share...

January and February can be cruel to the garden. They're the rainiest and coldest months. Protective gardeners watch out for the cold clear nights that signal frost damage to tender plants such as bougainvillea, citrus, fuchsias and succulents. Cover plants that are open to the sky by setting stakes in the ground and draping burlap, plastic or sheets over the stakes. Cardboard boxes also make good covers. Remember to remove the covering the next morning when the temperature rises. Wrap the trunks of young, tender citrus trees in burlap or paper. Another frost-protecting technique is to spray plants with an anti-transpirant. Move frost-susceptible container-grown plants under the eaves of an overhanging roof or beneath a leafy tree until mid-March.

Shop catalogs. Despite the gardener's best efforts, one of these nights a killer frost is likely to descend and, come spring, there will be great yawning gaps in the garden. So tend to those garden catalogs; opportunities will arise.

-- Damage control. As for those frost-damaged plants, wait to prune blackened branches until March, when the true damage will be more apparent. Mother Nature often stages amazing comebacks.

-- Buy bare roots. Now's the time to take advantage of the bare-root season, that once-a-year chance to buy plants without soil clinging to their roots. Bare-root plants are cheaper and easier to plant. An entire orchard or rose garden will fit into the trunk of your car.

-- Step lightly. Remember that soggy garden soil should not be walked on. This is particularly true of clay soils, which compact easily. Wait until the soil dries out some before walking on it.

-- Plant living Christmas trees. Living Christmas trees should be brought outdoors and watered well. If you plant a living Christmas tree in the ground, remember that most of them grow very large and for that reason, calculate where their shade will fall in years to come.

-- Transition holiday plants. Garden plants used indoors for the holidays such as azalea, cyclamen or hydrangea should be put outside in a sheltered spot until you are ready to give them a permanent home.

-- Prune hybrid tea roses. Cut back canes, a third to a half, leaving canes at least 18 inches long. Cut above a swelling bud pointing out from the center. Remove all suckers and dead wood. They bloom only on new wood so don't worry about doing a great job, just be sure to get out there and do it.

-- Prune climbing roses. Remove twiggy growth and weak shoots. Prune canes that flowered last year to three or four buds. Do not prune old garden roses unless you know where to prune. Old garden roses are very individual.

-- Spray roses and fruit trees. Use horticultural oil mixed with water to kill overwintering insect eggs, mites, soft-bodied insects and some scales.

I don't know about you but I was expecting a little more precipitation this week! Where's the rain?

As many of my clients know, planting a drought resistent and bay friendly landscape is not only beautiful and requires little maintenance but it also will save you buckets of cash on water bills! It's no secret we are in a drought and although the National Weather Service predicts some improvement on the horizon this winter, it's safe to say that it is always smart to plan for rising water cost and inconsistent rainfall to satisfy a non-drought resistent gardens' needs.

If you haven't considered taking the neccessary steps to properly irrigate and reduce water consumption by installing drought resistent flora, you might want to. I am a certfied Bay Friendly Landscaper that has installed many impressive drought resistent landsacpes and saved my cutomers thousands of dollars on water bills and maintenance.

I am more than happy to visit with you and discuss money saving options and plan for the future. Feel free to call me an discuss your gardens' needs.

Thanks,
Bret

I found this great write-up on gardenbetter.com regarding winter pruning that I wanted to share with everyone. There is certainly a right and wrong way to handle pruning your garden in the winter for optimal growth in the spring. Check it out and if you have questions regarding your garden's pruning needs, you know where to find me.

Thanks,
Bret

Many trees and shrubs should be pruned in the winter. The plants are dormant and cut branches will not "bleed". For others, a winter pruning ensures a great flush of growth and blooming during the growing season. Every tree or shrub may have its own specialized needs, but following these general guidelines will give a basic direction and avoid disastrous mistakes.

When in Doubt - Don't!
First and foremost, why are you pruning? This may seem like a ridiculous question, but I have found many people prune out of some vague inner feeling that "I must prune". The reality is that I have seen an amazing amount of wasted energy with such an attitude as well as, unfortunately, a lot of senseless destruction and garden mayhem. So the first rule is: If you are in doubt, just leave it alone and don't prune at all. Now that's what I call low maintenance!

A classic mistake is pruning spring flowering shrubs or fruit trees in winter and, innocently, cutting off all the flowering wood! I have seen this countless times and been asked, "Why don't I get flowers or fruit?" The embarrassing answer is "because you cut off all the flower buds!" These buds form in late summer or fall and remain dormant through the winter. (Another possibility, by the way, is that the plant is cold hardy in your area, but a late frost can destroy the flowers or new fruits. This is a limiting factor for peaches or almonds.)

Three Basic Rules:
Spring flowering shrubs (read as "flowers on last summer's wood") should be pruned after flowering.

Summer flowering shrubs (read as "flowers on new growth of the current season") can be pruned in the winter.

Plants of borderline hardiness should be pruned after all danger of frost has passed. That way any dieback due to cold damage will be pruned off. Pruning these too early can result in even further dieback.

For Your Gardens’ Winter Needs

It’s getting chilly and we smell the burning embers of last night’s fire when we show up early for work. Fall feels good and it’s time to get your garden ready for winter. Of course, I’m sure we will probably get a heat wave between now and ski season, but here are a couple things to think about with regard to your garden…

Planting

Plant Tulips after Thanksgiving.